In recent times, government regulations and environmental concerns have led to requirements that toilets minimize the amount of water used per flush. As a result, there are now pressurized toilets that use water pressure to limit the amount of water used in a flush. The tank of a pressurized toilet is typically situated above the bowl and is filled from below with water that enters the tank through an inlet connected to a large, pressurized water pipe. Air is compressed within the tank as the tank is filled with water, and the water stops entering the tank once the air pressure and water pressure in the tank meets a desired balance. The tank also includes a large outlet pipe that leads to a release valve that is positioned to release water into the bowl of the toilet. When the tank is filled with water, the release valve blocks the flow of water from the tank into the toilet bowl. The release valve is connected to a handle or button that is typically mounted on the outside of the tank. Activating the handle or button causes the release valve to open. When the valve opens, the high pressure in the tank forces the water through the large outlet pipe and out the valve, allowing for highly pressurized water to flow from the tank and into the toilet bowl. The pressurized flow of water into the bowl cleans the bowl and drains out of the bowl through an outlet pipe at the bottom of the bowl. When the flushing action is complete, the release valve closes and water flows back into the tank through the inlet, and the cycle of pressurizing the water in the tank begins again.
In conventional unpressurized tanks, the tremendous force of the pressurized water entering and exiting the tank and the sudden closing of the valves can cause “water hammer,” or a pressure surge or wave, within the plumbing system that results in a loud noise and possible damage to the pipes to which the toilet is connected. Also, the valves are complicated devices, involve many parts, and are typically not easy to access for repair. Also, the handle on an existing pressurized toilet is connected to the release valve by a complex mechanism that extends into the tank through a seal and uses the force applied to the handle to pull the release valve or seal open from within the tank, and against the forces of gravity and the water pressure in the tank. Thus, an operator needs to apply as much as 60 pounds of force to open the release valve unless the toilet includes a complicated pilot valve that uses a large piston to provide the force to open the release valve.